Torn Between Two
by Lea Sees SparksFly
Summary: Who will Luce choose? The one she secretly loves or the one who dearly loves her? She is torn between two.
1. Hostile Hits

**In case, after reading this, you'll ask why there is more to the character's thoughts than the dialogues... It's still the first chapter****! **

**But I promise to include a lot more dialogues in the succeeding ones.** **So WAIT !**

**Characters are not mine but _Lauren Kate's_. I recommend you read her books, the new _Fallen series_.**

**Enjoy!**

1

**Hostile Hits**

Luce bustled past plain door after plain door, her backpack flying in her wake. She would not be nervously hurrying now had it not been her forgetting to set the alarm. A day since her arrival here and already she has set a record for being half an hour late? Not a good way to start anew.

Just the night before, after a long, silent, and tense ride, her ever-thoughtful parents dropped her to enroll in Sword & Cross, a reform school for screw-ups.

Her mind had been unsettled: Were they, the police, doctors, lawyers, her friends and neighbors, really seeing her as a screw-up after that awful night with Trevor? How can they accuse her of something she didn't and wasn't planning to do? Will they ever forget the bad names they called Luce even if she can't? Even if she won't?

At least, she was positive about one simple thing: That her parents still and always love her, no matter what she turns into or how she tries to deal her life. They have been supporting and helping Luce cope with the worst events after the incident at the party she attended to. They have been Luce's fresh air after she was losing hope in breathing and continuing her life. Had it not been for their love, Luce would have been nothing, her flesh and blood scattered over an immensely arid and abandoned land.

She owed her life to them.

Busily reaching over for her backpack, Luce took a turn to the left, narrowly missing the edge of a wall by inches. Her hand went inside the bag, searching for the photocopied hand-drawn map that was given to her by a barrel-chested attendant, who introduced herself as Randy, last night before proceeding to her room. She was sure she placed it in there somewhere –

Until she clashed with a tall, husky profile.

Luce head hit the person's chest, causing her to stumble backward. Closing her eyes, she pressed her right hand fingers to her temple, giving it a slow massage. A low, anguished moan escaped her throat and she retreated further backward until her back found a wall.

That was some collision, so much force that gave her a headache also made her want to vomit. Luce half-opened her eyes and stars, beautiful, size-changing stars, danced before it. She blinked a few times before her eyes sharpened the surroundings.

A couple notebooks were on the floor, her bag an arm and leg away, and the person she collided with towered over her.

He was dressed just as the dress code violation requires them to wear – black, black, and nothing but pathetic black. His shirt tightened his upper body, revealing the perfect curves of his muscles and, Luce did not know why she even cared to notice it, the soft rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.

Luce searched his form until her eyes met his. They held each other for three heartbeats that it made Luce's heart happily constrict, though for reasons she did not know.

Suddenly, as if time was defying gravity, she did not know, did not care – oh, for heaven's sake – the time that elapsed from their immediate encounter or if she was going to be kicked out for cutting a half day of class.

Luce was beginning to enjoy the sight when the boy's eyes narrowed to slits.

His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides and his whole body abruptly hardened.

"Hasn't anyone told you the rules in this school?" He said through gritted teeth while bending to pick up Luce's fallen notebooks and bag.

"No," Luce nervously whispered. "I'm just new –"

"Of course," he interrupted, harshly giving back her things. "The new kid in town, waiting to be pampered." He made a rude face at her.

_ What was wrong with this guy? _Did she know him or the other way around?

And why was he suddenly all so hot even though Luce did not know and realize she was walking in his direction?

The boy started to leave, but after a few steps he turned and was not at all surprised to find Luce still rooted to her place. His eyes, his violet-flecked eyes, were all Luce could see but the message it gave brought her back to reality.

_ Hatred? Disgust? Pity? _ She could not decipher what.

It's her first day at a new school and she's late for the first period class and has made, what thought to be her first friend, her first enemy.

He stood straight and leaned his head to the side. "I pity the people you'll meet after this if you won't bear in mind your limits. I'll summarize the rules to." He ran his long fingers through his golden blond hair and the way the sun reflected his stunning locks left her astonishingly breathless. Luce wanted to run to him and touch that precious mane and just stick to it for how long it takes. She wanted to feel those long fingers. She wanted to be near him, be with him, be –

"Watch where your stupid brain is heading!" He spat then turned to leave.

Luce stared blankly, her eyes damp and her vision blurred, at the retreating figure of the first person, aside from Randy, she met. The first person to make her heart tighten then shatter. The first person to frankly insult her and then turn away...

The first person who she thought could be a friend.

She was really starting something new.

A bell rang overhead, signaling the beginning of another weary hour, which made Luce mentally calculate – has she been fixed to the cemented floor for about a quarter of an hour already? What was she thinking?

After swiftly placing back her things inside her bag, she continued searching for her first class period room, and she was still confused which among the plain, ashen doors in this dimly-lit hallway it was. Mind so preoccupied about the violet-eyed, friend-turned-enemy lad, she stopped in her tracks and took a long, deep breath.

She needed to cool down.

Surely the school staff would understand her absence in class on her first day, wouldn't they? She'd have to make a list of reasonable excuses in case they try to interrogate her. They'd have to let her be, but only this one time, and she's gonna have to make it up to them. Luce heard a soft, buzzing noise to her right and, for the first time, noticed a camera, its red lights flashing, watching her every move. Her eyes widened, remembering last night's conversation with Randy.

"Reds" Randy had called it, but Luce hasn't had any idea why it was called as such. Now she did.

She moved away from the spying device, while placing her left ear over small fissures she could find on the doors. What was a better idea than this? Barge in to every room until she found the right one? Yeah, she's been making a lot of attention lately.

Her body ached to be in her dorm room. Her mind wanted badly to rest. And her heart dreamed to be in the violet-eyed guy's arms. Suddenly, annoyingly, she felt the need to see him, talk to him, and be with him. She could almost feel her gravity shift towards him. It was surprisingly disturbing. She did not even know his name yet!

The sound of a door opening made Luce jump. It was in the hallway to her right, not far fro where she was standing. She knew the people who could find her would be curious, questioning her presence in the corridors during class hours. Faint footsteps filled the quiet atmosphere and it was nearing Luce's place.

Her back to the incoming person, she grabbed a book and started flipping through its pages. The footsteps were louder this time, she was sure it was directly behind her. Then all of a sudden, as if a pause button was pressed, it ceased.

The only audible sounds were Luce's rapid, short breathing and the zooming in and out of the camera. Tense moments passed but the steps have not yet returned. She assumed it went the other way. She assumed she was safe. Or was she really?

"Enjoying your pre-class school tour?" A voice filled her ears. The warmth of his breath seared her skin, but in wonderful way that made her want more. It was a soothing sensation that belonged to a boy. She faced him.

"I'm rather surprised, though, that you decided to spend it on your own," he laughed. "A friend can be a useful guide, I'm telling you."

The boy was a foot taller than Luce and he gazed down at her with green eyes that showed happiness even upon finding her straying. His black v-neck shirt harmonized his body.

"Oh!" He smacked his forehead with his right palm. "Let me guess, you're through touring, aren't you?" His tone was taunting.

"I wasn't even…"

"I bet you haven't visited the most pleasant piece of this _happy_ campus! No irony intended. "He winked at Luce.

She laughed. He was taking everything so lightly, as if Luce's wandering was the least of his problems. His smile was tempting, she wanted to ditch her stuff, ignore the boring class, and fly away with this guy's easygoing heart.

She knew he was waiting for an answer. Two choices, one decision.

She heard herself say, "And where is this place you're talking about?"

He bowed and offered his right hand. "Will you let me do the honor to take you to a whole new world, _Your Highness?_"

For a brief, stupid moment, Luce's mind drifted to the golden-haired guy and imagined him to be the one offering her to skip class with him.

He'd never know this kind of stuff.

"Yes," Luce smiled, placing her hand in the boy's and allowed herself to be steered away from the old building.

"You'll never regret this," He turned to look at her. "I promise."

**- my very 1st FanFic ! Your reviews are so much appreciated !** (=


	2. Daniel's POV in chap1

**Okay, so I decided to write Daniel's POV in Hostile Hits. Well, it seemed just right and fair for him. I might do a 'Cam's POV' as well. Just stay tuned in (=**

**I love a Luce/Cam Romance. But that doesn't mean Daniel isn't a fiery, passionate angel. I do adore both of them.**

**Daniel's POV in Hostile Hits **(Chapter 1)

"Okay, so tomorrow, we are going to watch a documentation about the Russian war way back in the 1950's…"

The woman's voice seemed like an endless high-intensity noise to Daniel's ears. He was poised like a model student would, but his mind had drifted off to the forest of the campus. It was where he found serenity, if he did not count _her_ arms. He missed _her_ so much. When will she come back?

Daniel waited until the teacher's back was to him.

"The Cold War was an ideological war between the two world superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, beginning after World War Two…" she continued boringly.

"Come on now," Daniel muttered, sneaking a glance at the wall clock. _32 minutes_ to go? _This will not do._

When, finally, the stout teacher had taken a dusty chalk and began to write something on the board, Daniel took his chance, stood up from his seat and headed for the door. He did not mind the students' sleepy stares, only that he had to go out and breathe fresh air.

Rapidly, he walked the cemented path to the main entrance of the building. He was too focused with the number of years- or months, hopefully- left before _she_ came back to him that he wasn't even aware, until then, of a girl accidentally knocking into him.

She banged her head on to his chest. Staggering, she closed her eyes and pressed her right hand fingers to her temple while giving it a slow massage. Daniel, though, remained stationary.

The girl was downright familiar. Even as she ducked and retreated to lean back against a wall, her profile was something he could recall. Something was tugging at his insides.

As soon as she blinked a few times, Daniel silently gasped and widened his eyes. There, a few feet ahead of him, was the _the _girl he's been waiting for 17 years. The girl who's been in his mind since time immemorial. Again. And again. Over and over again.

_Luce. My Luce. Finally._

He was itching to surround her with him, but he kept in mind that he was a complete stranger to her. This always happened every first time they met in a different lifetime.

She was searching him with those beautiful, innocent eyes of hers. He just kept his on hers until they were looking directly at each other.

He could not count with his fingers alone how many times they did this before. And how many times it became a painful last sight before the flames incinerated her.

Then it hit him, so hard on the head. She must not fall in love with him_ again_ to save her from the excruciating torture that always had to happen to her. Thank you, punishment.

Narrowing his eyes to slits, he clenched and unclenched his fists. No matter how painful it was to do this to her, he had to, to keep her alive and to keep her even just at a distant sight.

"Hasn't anyone told you the rules in this school?" He heard his own voice say. He picked up Luce's notebooks to hide his aggrieved expression from her. She must not have any, even the slightest, idea.

"No," Luce nervously whispered. "I'm just new –"

Oh. How good it felt once again to hear the melodic voice of his true love. This time it was real music to his ears.

"Of course," he had to say, and harshly but unintentionally, giving back her things. "The new kid in town, waiting to be pampered." He strained to make a rude face at her. It was killing him inside.

He had to stop this! He must leave at once. He started to depart Luce, but there seemed to be an invisible and invincible rope connecting both of them, luring her closer to him and him to her. He faced her and she was amazingly gazing at him, her eyes reflecting the sun's early rays.

"I pity the people you'll meet after this if you won't bear in mind your limits. I'll summarize the rules to you." said Daniel, watching Luce with great passion. He ran his fingers through his hair because Luce – or the past Luces, rather- always loved it, and it made her touch and tangle her hands in it.

He sighed. Afraid that he might lose it, he quickly spat, "Watch where your stupid brain is heading!"

Daniel did not want to catch sight of Luce's countenance, so he left her, who was little by little breaking into small fragments.

Swiftly, as if running from a straying untamed dog, Daniel advanced to the unoccupied main entrance hall and out into the sunlit lawn. In next to no time, he settled himself facing his favorite spot in the entire grounds – the forest.

Until he had at long last regained Luce in this lifetime, he badly desired to escape to the woods and be whoever he was supposed to be in this planet. However, his mind had an alteration.

Facing the old school building and his back to the coppices, he unfurled his wings, stretching for about a meter, glorious and glowing. He heard the soft beating of it and soon enough, the ground was a feet away. Two feet away… Three feet… Four…Five…

He was soaring graciously in the air, and beneath him, was the dull view of Sword & Cross. Luce was nowhere to be found, which made Daniel both contented and melancholy as he ascended higher and higher until the clouds cloaked him.

He had to stay low for a while. Which was figuratively, given his current position now. He had to refresh his mind, too. A lot had been going on lately. And never was it peaceful unless The War was over. And it had never ended since the Fall.

All he had to do now was look after Luce even if he needed to seclude himself from her. He would willingly accept anything for Luce. Would take on any battle for Luce. Would overcome any challenge for Luce.

He would even die for her.

**DANIEL!**


	3. Forest Trips

2

**Forest Trips**

The boy held her hand the whole time as they scrambled towards a small forest. Luce made a mental note to thank him later for willingly showing her the parts of the school she'd otherwise never know on her own. They were nearing now, and Luce could see a little gap in the middle of the clustered trees and, ahead of it, utter blackness.

The guy, who held her hand lightly, neither made a noise nor said a word to her while they ran under the heat of the sun. Stopping in front of the gap, he startled her.

He sighed, "Escape, finally."

"What and where exactly is this place?" Luce asked.

"My own version of home here."

"You mean," Luce scanned the surroundings, at the lifeless leaves, scattered trash, and rotting trees. "You lived in a forest before?"

For a moment, all he did was gaze at her. His eyes sparkled and her whole body abandoned her. She could only look at it that she didn't notice him laughing.

"That was funny! You made me laugh." He placed his hand on her shoulder as he drove her through the gap and into a faintly-illuminated clearing. "And you know, the people who have my preferred sense of humor are scarcely alive. Good thing I found you."

"I'm sorry"

"Sorry? For what?"

"You know, for being such a fool." she mumbled.

He laughed again. "Do not be. I know how you feel and I respect it. Right now, I'd love to see you and my serenity meet and spend a quiet time together." He gestured at the wide area.

Luce scanned the vicinity while he sat cross-legged in the middle of the area, picking and examining a dead leaf. She walked to nearby trees, running her finger across the rough surface of the barks. The bird's chirping could be heard and the noise of crushing leaves in Luce's every step filled the peaceful breeze.

She knew he was watching her, even as he pretended not to. She could feel the heat of his gaze sear her skin.

"You gonna spend the whole time walking around in your perfectly-not-shaped circle?" He questioned.

"Oh," Luce realized she was looking stupid. "No. No, no." She smiled.

"Then," he patted the space beside him. "Have a comfortable seat."

She proceeded and, like him, sat cross-legged on the damp earth.

"I have a question." She faced him, her eyes leveled with his.

"Go on, I'm listening"

"Shouldn't… shouldn't you be in class?"

He thought for a while. A delighted look was plastered on his fine-pored face. "Nice question you've got there. I guess you should ask the same question to yourself, too."

Luce took this in. Of course, she should have been, especially that it's her first day. But how come, before all this, he got out of his room in the first place? She was just curious, that's all.

When she didn't respond, he spoke, "Well, to be fair, shouldn't we be in class right now?"

They both laughed. Luce watched as he rocked back and forth, lightly punching her knees. She suddenly felt an attraction to this guy.

"Oh, forgot. Haven't we formally met yet?" He held out his right hand. "Call me Cam."

Luce extended her right arm to shake with Cam's. "I'm Luce, by the way. Lucin –"

"Lucinda Price."

"You know my full name?" She inquired, widening her eyes.

Cam only shrugged. "I guess. When someone comes around a month after the academic year started, she'd most likely be the headline topic of every gossip."

_Gossip?_ _Has she been talked about?_

Luce raised an eyebrow at him. "So, everyone has been talking 'bout me, huh? I think they didn't know that I just arrived last night, fresh from my house at Thunderbolt."

He only looked past Luce, past the old trees ahead of him, at something invisible to her eyes. "No. Not really. You're misunderstanding me."

"Then explain it further."

"I…okay, I heard the teachers talk about it. About you. 'New girl arriving' stuff. It was kind of boring, though," Cam now eyed her with intensity. The dead leaf in his hand was barely a skeleton. He watched his own fingers cut it into fragments. "No offense. It was irritating."

Luce could sense there was something Cam was not telling her; however, she did not push him any further.

They just sat in silence after their conversation. Luce's energy was suddenly drowned. She could not think of a way to distract her thoughts other than gaze at Cam's perfect, fair skin, so she leaned back and rested her head against the cold earth.

Cam noticed her and he grinned. He swiftly ran his fingers through his hair before joining in with her under the clouds.

For the first time, she caught sight of heavy, grey clouds not far from the forest. Any minute now, it could start drizzling. She ought to be back in her dorm now.

Cam glanced at Luce with triumphant eyes, "I'm astounded though why you agreed to spend – or waste, rather - your first morning of school at a not-class-related place, much more with a class-allergic person."

"You asked me. I grew up knowing that refusing an offer is a big insult."

"Ha. Such a childhood you had."

Luce shook her head. _If only you knew_,she thought. "Besides, I'm a loyal friend. You are my first here, unless you count…"

"Count who?"

"Nothing. No one, rather."

"Oh, come on Luce. I'm a person you can count on. You're the one who said I'm your first friend." he told her in a _very_ pleading voice.

Just then, an ear-piercing sound exploded from above them. The first drops of rain fell on Luce's nose. It trickled down until she tasted salt in her tongue. She got up quickly, closing her bag inside her arms. Without noticing, Cam's arms were suddenly around her, guiding her towards a dry part of the forest. The rain was getting harder.

"Oh god! Never knew this was coming." Cam had to shout over the noise of the thunderstorms and heavy rain. His grip on Luce's shoulder was tight but right.

"Can we…can we just go back, please?" she shouted.

Probably hearing the fear and plea in Luce's voice, Cam silently nodded and jogged to the nearest building. Luce had to catch up in his long strides.

It felt like an hour running in the rain. By the time they arrived at the lobby of the building, she was soaking wet. Cam was too, she realized.

She also realized that, again, he was smiling.

He exclaimed, "That was cool!"

"Yeah, so cool we'd soon get sick." She rolled her eyes. But despite the cold rain, she felt happy inside. She was glad for the experience Cam gave her. "Thanks, Cam."

"No Problem there, Luce." He straightened his hair. "Wanna do this again?"

Luce thought. When is 'again' exactly? She can't wait. "Hmm. Unless you show me another part of this _happy school_, no."

Laughing, he held his hand out for another handshake. Only it wasn't. Luce joined her hand with Cam's. It was after for about ten centuries that they realized they had seemed to freeze.

Cam spoke, "So much to discover here, Luce. And you need only the perfect tour guide to help you." He raised both his eyebrows twice in approval. "I guess it is a deal."

"Fine. Deal."

Their hands broke apart and they said their goodbyes, promising to greet the other in case they'll have an unusual encounter again, and promising to have another trip together again.

Luce ran to her dorm room, her wet hair dripping, not caring to know the time nor if there was still time for class.

All she cared about was the moments she unforgettably shared with Cam.

**-my 2nd entry guys! Hope there will still be more to come!**

**-your reviews are very much appreciated (=**

**-lea**


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